Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-12-22
LIFE IN LIBERIA.
A COUNTRY WHICH LACKS THE
COMFORTS OF CIVILIZATION.

COMtOHIS Of C'StIILRI'ON.
Minister Taylor Chats Entcrtainingiy of
the Habits and Customs OF the African
Republic A Dark Picture 'Bugg.
BugSas" and .Driver' Ants.
'When the judgment comes ! hope It
will begin with Liberia If it does it will
be used up before it can go any further"
These are the words in which Charles
H. J. Taylor, the United States minister
to the African republic, summed up his
opinion Of the little country on the west
coast. Mr.. Taylor has recently returned
from his station, and has resigned his
mission. As his resignation does not take
effect until Jan. IL, and rs he is therefore
still connected with the state department,
he is wary Of expressing his opinions.
Mr. Taylor is colored man of marked
ability, and has been city attorney Il
Kansas City. He chatted entertain,Dgly
Of tho habits and customs Of Liberia.
"The startling disproportion, he said,
.'between the natives and the immigrants
and their descendants is not generally
known. OF the 1000, 900 inhabitants OF
Liberia, 6SS coo are natives and Il, GOO i'm
migrants. There were q, 900 immigrants
from America, but, as you see, most OF
them are dead. They have been going
over from America for sixty-six years,
and missionaries have been at
work there for fifty years, and
accomplished. The civilized are to the
uncivilized as one to hundred.
There are never any children in the
lsA: - fumilina
One reason Is the humid dampness Of the
country, which imperceptibly, but surely,
exhausts the strength Of all but natives.
The temperature ranges between S3 and
n degs You may polish your shoes at
night, and in the morning they will 10
covered with mi.dew. All Of the natives
20 nude. Two of the tribes are very light
colored and pretty. The full dress Of the
men is a tall hat and an umbrella. Then,
in general, all the uncivilized influences
, are the stronger. The children Of immi-
grants have never seen any civilization
but that Of their parents, and they soon
learn to 60 nude, like the great majority
of people about them. There are many
other evil things about Liberia Of which l
cannot speak now When went TO Ii
IBERIA I thought l wanted every negro in
America to pack his sachel and go to that
paradise. Now say to them, stay away
from It, Only deluded American negroes
60 there now. They are led to go by
the Colonization society. The motives OF
the society are good, but they do not know
the truth about Liberia"
What are some striking facts about
the condition Of the conntrys'
There is not horse or n mule or q
jackass in the country. The cows are
about as big as Newfoundland dogs and
give NO milk The oxen are useless.
There is not q carriage or wagon or even
Q wheelbarrow in the republic, and there
are not three plows owned In the whole
population. They have q secretary OF the
navy, but not canoe nor Q rowboat They
have q secretary of war, but not cannon
to fire a salute. The army consists OF Az
soldiers, of whom 3SS are officers and %
privates. The legislature meets annually
and consists of eight senators and thirteen
representatives, who stand for $3.50
voters. The natives are not represented
in the government. The president is II.
w. r.. johnson, who was born there Of
American parents. He wears q linen
duster in addition to his plug hat and
umbrella. He appoints all the officers,
from members Of his cabinet down to
constables. Nearly every voter is an off,
Ger Of some kind.
when the immigrant arrives he Is met
r. the musical force Of the country, which
rOnsists Of one fife and one drum. Later,
ae meets the bugga buggas, and the
irivers These are ants. The bugga bug
gas believe in woman rule. They are COM
manded by queen, who Is as big as n
mans two thumbs and looks like a white
piece Of bacon She and her followers will
eat anything but iron. You may build a
house one Gay, and the next day, II you
were to strike it, the whole structure
would fall
The drivers-oh. Lord-;hey will eat
up man. They have eaten six natives,
and the natives sometimes punish a GRIM
inal or an enemy by tying him to tree
and leaving him to his fate. The drivers
are the scavengers Of the country. They
march like an army, in a closely knitted
line, numbering myriads- They have
generals, colonies, captains, ieutenants
and privates ranking according to size.
The generals are half as big as a little
finger. They eat everything unclean.
The natives are obliged to bathe twice a
day, otherwise the drivers would over
whelm them. A boa constructor, after
crushing . victim to death, will make q
wide circuit around the body to L. sure
that no drivers are near. The serpent
knows that after he has swallowed the
body he must sleep, and if the drivers
caught him In his post prandial slumber
they would eat him up. The drivers visit
u house about twice u month. Then YOU
have to 60 away until they are gone"
"What do the people do for u iving'"
II will only say that they earn their
living in q different way from anybody in
America. cannot answer that question
with propHety yet"-New York Mail
and Express.